


For You, I Will Blossom

by teashoppe



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-12
Updated: 2016-04-18
Packaged: 2018-06-01 20:47:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6535705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teashoppe/pseuds/teashoppe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Your mind is a garden. / Your thoughts are the seeds. / You can grow flowers / Or you can grow weeds." - Unknown</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day 1: Carnation - Love

**Author's Note:**

> \- a collection of ioriku drabbles for iorikuweek2016  
> \- i can't promise you i'll be on time for all of these, but boy, if you think i'm not gonna try  
> \- i haven't slept and it's 7 am rn obviously i have my life together  
> \- the original summary for this fic was "roses are red. violets are blue. what is this feeling in my chest? i think i like you.", but that's cheesy  
> \- 99% chance the flowers won't make it into these fics  
> \- hmu on twitter @harucchu

Iori knows what love is. Love is his parents, a story of a boy and a girl, a pâtissier in training with dreams of owning his own cake shop someday and a frequent customer with a sweet tooth that could rival Tsumugi’s. (“Did you make this, Izumi-kun?” “Yes, do you like rabbits, miss?” “I love them!” She happily clamps down on her fork, another taste of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla cake filling her mouth. He smiles, wiping the corner of her lips with a napkin. “I do too.” She blushes, fists clutching at the fabric of her skirt. “I’ll walk you home after changing into my normal clothes.”). Love is nii-san who played pirates with him, and searched for him tirelessly when he found a cat in the rain and their parents said he couldn’t keep it.

 

Riku knows what love is. Love is his high school friends who brought him home notes from school when he missed it, who, despite their concerns, cheer him on as a singer, and who took him to the arcade and karaoke when he felt well enough to join them. Love is Ten-nii who brewed hot water with honey to soothe him every time without fail after an attack and built snowmen for him on his hospital windowsill in the the wintertime because he couldn’t do it himself.

 

Iori’s gotten his fair share of confessions (all of which he’s rejected because between helping out at his parents’ shop, homework, nii-san failing auditions left and right stressing him out, and simply not being interested in them for various reasons, including fearing their reaction when his _real_ personality doesn’t live up to their expectations, dating is without a doubt out of the question). Riku’s liked girls, like that one from 2-A who wore a different clip in her hair each time he saw her or their manager, clumsy but cute and hardworking, for example. He received a letter once with no signature, and sometimes, he still thinks about that girl and how her life turned out when he can’t sleep at night.

 

“How do they _not_ realize they’re in love with each other?” is a question weighing on the elder members of IDOLiSH7’s minds, Mitsuki’s in particular because he’s _never_ seen Iori so affectionate towards someone who’s not blood-related to them. It makes him want to cheer for him in fact, _especially_ since Mitsuki believes Riku is Iori’s first crush (or at least the first that he’s aware of). Ten, on the other hand, is a different story. Ten possesses daggers in his eyes promising to fuck _anyone_ up tenfold who _dares_ to mess with Riku despite them being estranged.

 

Everyone else can see it, how Iori’s eyes linger on Riku for one second longer even when he’s in good health, how Riku comes quickly to Iori’s defense every time someone misjudges his personality (most recently, Ten-nii). Everyone else can see it, but they _can’t_ , brushing it off as “Of course we’d do that. We’re a unit.” Iori doesn’t recall, though, Mitsuki or Tamaki _ever_ mentioning to him that they toss and turn in bed at night because they can’t stop thinking about how much they’d like to kiss their fellow group member, not because his lips are cute or anything, but because his curiosity regarding whether or not Riku’s lips taste as sweet as the donuts they brought back to their dorm (much to Riku and Tamaki’s delight) _needs_ to be satisfied. It shouldn’t cause Riku to blush whenever they brush hands or duck his head whenever their eyes meet or get jealous when he sees Iori and Tsumugi talking together alone _again_.

  
Someday, they’ll understand (or so help the elder members of IDOLiSH7 if they _don’t_ ), but for now, they’ll pluck at the petals of their carnation, one by one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- i seriously considered writing an izumi parents fic bc of that 1st paragraph


	2. Day 2: Larkspur - Joyful

Riku has many faces, but the one Iori likes the _most_ is when he’s smiling.

 

It’s hard _not_ to fall for Nanase Riku. Riku’s smile is addictive, infectious even, fitting for the position of IDOLiSH7’s face; Iori _swears_ he could get drunk off of it, the memory of his eyes, a red galaxy complete with crescent moons and twinkling stars, and his laugh that reminds him of the relaxing sound of furin in the summer breeze engraved into his mind. It’s easy then to see how Iori finds it so puzzling, so unbelievable that a man blessed with such charm, such talent could be so insecure, so shy about the spotlight which Iori _insists_ with every fiber of his being was _made_ for Riku; however, he knew if he were to mull over it a little harder, a little longer, he’d arrive at the same conclusion concerning himself. Iori likes to deflect attention from this fact; Tsumugi’s noticed.

 

“Nanase-san,” Iori’s voice, crisp like the winter air, startles Riku who had been entranced by a performance of “Secret Night” playing on the television screen that Iori recognizes as recent if the new outfits TRIGGER were wearing could speak.

 

“Ah… Iori… is the TV volume too loud?” Riku reaches for the remote. It’s funny, Riku’s question to Iori, because the volume of the TV is a few bars away from silence.  He’s pretty sure _no one_ in the IDOLiSH7 dorm would be awakened by the sound of Riku watching TRIGGER videos half past midnight in the living room; in fact, he can name a few (nii-san and Osaka-san) who would probably _join_ him if they were before even _considering_ scolding him for bad behavior. To Riku, though, it’s a legitimate worry that he’s being a bother that Iori needs to smooth over before it gets _worse_ and clouds their center’s head with unnecessary thoughts.

 

“No, I came here to get something to drink.”

 

“Oh, I’d feel bad if I interrupted anybody’s sleep. That’s good.”

 

“Nanase-san, did your coughing keep you up?” Iori pours himself a glass of water.

 

“No, I’ve hardly coughed tonight, just my thoughts.”

 

“Nanase-san, we have a job to do in a couple of hours.”

 

“I know, but I couldn’t sleep!”

 

“What were you thinking about?” Iori meets him in the living room.

 

“What?”

 

“Why’re you staring at me like that?”

 

“Nothing, I’m just processing that you’re being _nice_ to me.”

 

“Do you have _that_ low of an opinion of me, Nanase-san?”

 

“No, Iori wouldn’t be Iori if you weren’t like this, though I _will_ admit I like it.”

 

Iori holds out a mug to Riku.

 

“Ah, you didn’t have to. I’m fine, really.”

 

“Drink it.” Iori commands. “It’s cold out here.” Iori sits down beside him on the sofa.

 

“Thank you.” Riku receives the warm cup of hot milk in his hands.

 

It’s quiet between them for a while, though it isn’t uncomfortable, at least not _anymore_. They’ve grown used to it ever since Riku made it a habit to read in Iori’s room while he studies. (Iori thus keeps his room clean and orderly, determined not to be the cause of one of his attacks. His efforts are appreciated, but it’s a bit excessive and reminiscent of his twin brother, Riku chuckles.)

 

“Iori?” Riku calls out softly.

 

“Ready to talk, Nanase-san?”

 

“Do you like _me_ or Ten-nii more?” Riku stares down at the mug, half empty

 

“ _Huh?_ Wh-what’s this all of a sudden?”

 

“Do you think I can beat him?”

 

“Ah, so _that’s_ what this is about. I told you I was going to make you a superstar, right?”

 

“Right.”

 

“Don’t look so depressed.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“It doesn’t suit you. Our center looks _much_ better smiling.”

 

“Iori,” Riku hesitates as if he misheard. “are you trying to cheer me up?”

 

Iori blushes. “Which performance are you watching this time?”

 

“Oh, it’s this one.”

 

“I’ll watch _one_ song with you, and then let’s go back to sleep.”

 

“Iori?”

 

“What?”

 

“Thank you.” Riku grins.

 

“Y… you’re welcome… Nanase-san.”

  
_Ten-nii_ , Riku watches his twin brother announce the final song to the audience with a smile. _I’m going to become happy. With Iori at my side, I know I will._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- furin are the pretty japanese wind chimes you see in the summertime  
> \- i know i'm late. sue me.  
> \- i somehow managed to make a prompt about joy /not/ joyful ;;;  
> \- no flowers this time


	3. Day 3: Amaryllis - Pride/Shy

Iori has a lot of pride, and by a lot, he means almost on par with TRIGGER’s center, Kujou Ten who's famous for always being professional, no matter the circumstances. It’s both Kujou Ten’s strength _and_ his weakness, and it’s ultimately what sets him apart from Iori, Iori who only recently began to pride himself in being _different_ than Kujou Ten, _better_ than Kujou Ten because unlike Kujou Ten, he at least can admit he _likes_ Riku (albeit it may be in a tsundere fashion).

 

Before, he was most prideful in himself, in his reputation, and he still _is_ , holding himself to a much higher standard than the rest of IDOLiSH7, not because he doesn’t believe they can do it, but because he never wants to repeat the shame he felt after his failure at Music Festival. Now, though, _now_ he’s most prideful in _Riku_ , Riku who made him feel as though he witnessed a miracle on the first day that they met.

 

He promised Riku he’d make him a superstar, and he’ll be damned if he doesn’t. He’s never left a promise go unfulfilled, nor does he plan on making this the first. Iori craves, he hungers, and he’s _merciless_ when it comes to reaching his goal. Ten doesn’t like this about Iori, fearing it’ll come at the expense of Riku’s health, but that’s something they can agree on; Riku’s health is _always_ on his mind, and it’d be a lie to say there are times when Iori _wished_ he could take Riku’s place, so he could sing with his beautiful voice that changed and shaped Iori’s world without the burden of his illness.

 

He’s rejected Riku many times, his feelings, his thoughts; however, he knows if the day comes where Riku _truly_ needs him, he’ll be there right beside him to tell him:

  
“You’re the best.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- how could you say music festival? i like watching people suffer  
> \- too much kujou ten


	4. Day 4: Freesia - Childishness/Innocence

It’s easy to forget that Iori is still a high school student. For starters, he doesn’t _look_ like one with his physique and the way he carries himself, intelligent and proud. He’s handsome and tall (at least to Japanese girls). A cold, mature aura surrounds Iori, and for that reason, he’s popular with the fans, a mysterious, suave prince in contrast to the other members of IDOLiSH7 in their eyes.

 

Iori _is_ cool; Riku won’t lie.

 

Riku knows the truth, though.

 

Iori is 17 years old. He likes cute things like _Usamimi Friends_ (as evident by the magnets he gathered from purchasing mineral water). He feels happy when his older brother, Mitsuki, praises him. He’s got a soft spot for animals (the baby birds outside of his window, Kinako, the kitten that followed Nagi back to the dorms). He gets embarrassed having his picture taken. (Riku has a collection of them in his photo gallery on his phone that he’s sure the fans would be jealous of if they knew.) In short, Iori’s rather… adorable… when he isn’t chastising Riku for being a second late in “Fly Away!” or working himself to the brink of exhaustion.

 

Riku likes this childish side to Iori. With MEZZO” constantly navigating themselves through packed schedules, Mitsuki appearing on variety shows, Nagi modeling, and Yamato acting, it’s almost like a secret between them ( _almost_ because he’s _sure_ the others have noticed it, but it’s fun to think the opposite.)

 

Iori makes Riku wants to spoil him, and there’s been attempts, several.

 

And once, but only once, Iori didn’t reject him. He _thanked_ him.

 

_Is this how Mitsuki and Ten-nii feel?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- spot the references to the idolish7 short story from twitter and the rabbit chats


	5. Day 5: Primrose - Desperate

Riku’s felt desperation. For a long time, Riku believed he knew desperation better than anyone else, but then he met Iori, handsomely talented, handsomely tragic Izumi Iori whose stare is cold as ice and words are littered with thorns, who goes out of his way to cover up the fact that he likes cute things and who’d rather shoulder the blame by himself than share it with the team. He _knows_ desperation, but he doesn’t know Iori, Iori who holds the _most_ belief in his singing ability, Iori who was prepared to _fight_ the company if Mitsuki wasn’t given a chance to become an idol. He doesn’t quite understand the boy so desperate to be liked because there’s a (although he’ll never admit it) that he’s lied to himself and surrounded himself with meter high walls to be someone he’s _not…_ but he will… oh, he will, someday.

  
It was lonely (unsurprisingly) after Ten-nii left. After all, they’d been joined together at the hip since they were in the womb. It was _especially_ lonely whenever he had attacks. His cries for his twin would turn into gasps for air that would send him into the hospital. Riku hates that place. He’s seen ghosts there, and they scare him. When TRIGGER debuted, it only got worse, seeing his brother on a stage, an _actual_ stage complete with a fog machine and flashing lights, smiling without him with strangers, strangers who _probably_ didn’t deserve Riku’s hatred, but got it anyway. There were times when there was no one to hold him, to soothe him because his parents were at work and Ten-nii was gone. It’s a reoccurring nightmare Riku has, even to this day when he’s come face to face with Ten-nii again and poured out all the feelings he kept bottled up inside of him to him, but sometimes, he wakes up to Iori knelt at his bedside asleep after putting him to bed the night before with a glass of honey melted in hot milk after an attack, and he doesn’t feel so alone anymore; in fact, since meeting IDOLiSH7, he’s never felt more _alive_. Iori babies him, and Riku _hates_ it because _he’s_ the one that should be doing the babying because he’s older, therefore, he has the right, but he’s never met someone aside from his family so _desperate_ to see him _live_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- and so the angst reared it's ugly head  
> \- look, i'm on time


	6. Day 6: Lavender - Faithful

There’s never been a doubt in Iori’s mind that Riku could do it, that Riku _would_ do it. In front of a row of cameras and staff running back and forth with flashlights and headsets to broadcast Black or White all throughout Japan, in front of hundreds and thousands of fans cheering loudly, passionately for them _within_ the arena, they’re standing on stage together as one, as two, as _seven_ , and they’ve won. They’ve _won_.

 

Their victory is nothing short of grand. An award is handed to them, and there’s confetti, _lots_ of confetti floating down around them like a rainbow shower. TRIGGER congratulates them, _including_ (surprisingly) Kujou Ten (although Riku isn’t so much surprised as he is _thrilled_ ). Yamato handles the award speech, claiming as the leader, it’s his _job_. He gets choked up towards the end, but he manages to keep his cool, onii-san facade at least until Sougo’s picture proof.

 

Iori cries. Riku does too.

 

The after party is celebrated with (unsurprisingly) alcohol and soba, the former bought by Banri and the latter a congratulatory gift from Yamamura’s. It isn’t long (an hour tops) before the adults get drunk, and the underage members of IDOLiSH7 begin their suffering with Iori pouring glasses of water instead of sake for his older brother, Mitsuki, and Tamaki barely being able to reason with the clingy, emotional drunk Sougo.

 

Iori needs air, and so he entrusts his older brother to Nagi (whether that was a good idea, he doesn’t know), and steps outside into the cold, dark new year.

 

“Nanase-san, what’re you doing out here?”

 

Riku doesn’t even have to look to know who is speaking. “What’re the others doing?”

 

“Come inside, Nanase-san, and see for yourself.”

 

“Did you come looking for me?”

 

“No, I was too busy attending to nii-san to notice.”

 

“Ah, really? I needed some quiet to think.”

 

“Oh, so you’re capable of that.”

 

Iori and Riku have known each other long enough that they’re able to joke like this.

 

“What do we _now_?”

 

Iori leans against the wall next to Riku. “What do you mean?”

 

“What comes _after_ this? We’ve _won_ Black or White.”

 

“Isn’t that obvious, Nanase-san? We set a new goal, right?”

 

“A new goal, huh? Sounds… fun… and scary.”

 

Iori falls in love that night, or rather, he realizes he’s always been in love with Riku. _You’re beautiful_ , he thinks, the moon’s glow creating a halo around Riku.

 

For a moment, Iori wants to grab Riku’s face and _kiss_ him, but-

 

“We did it, Iori.”

 

he doesn’t.

 

Instead, Iori takes Riku’s hand, and, despite the cold January air, he can still feel the faint warmth of Riku’s body through his palm.

 

“Yes, we did, Nanase-san.”

  
_I always knew you would._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- am i satisfied with this? no  
> \- do i care? the answer is also no


	7. Day 7: Cherry Blossom - Gentle/Kind

On their days off (which aren’t many), Iori and Riku like going on dates together. Their date options are limited being both boys _and_ celebrities, but it _always_ ends up in kissing—innocent, passionate, whatever they’re in the mood for that day.

 

Today is different.

 

Today is their first day off in a month, and Iori was called back home to fonte chocolat to work. Normally, it’s Mitsuki who does it whenever their parents need a favor, but Mitsuki’s left for Osaka in the morning for work leaving Iori, the second son, the only option left. Riku ended up tagging along because he didn’t want to be left alone in the dorm until the evening. Plus, going to fonte chocolat means free sweets, and who can argue with that?

 

“Ioriii~, I’ve finished mixing the batter.”

 

“I’ll check it in a second, Nanase-san. Now where did I put the-”

 

“Iori, when did you learn to bake?”

 

“Hm, it feels so natural to me I can’t remember.” Iori replies over the sounds of him rummaging for a pan.

 

“As expected of Iori, overflowing with talent,”

 

“Hu- ow!” The sudden compliment catches Iori off guard causing him to hit his head on the countertop.

 

“Iori!” Riku rushes towards him.

 

“I’m fine. I’m fine.”

 

“But-”

 

“It didn’t hurt… a lot…”

 

“Do you want some ice?” Riku frantically looks around the kitchen.

 

Iori rises from crouching down on the floor. “No, let me see the bowl.”

 

“How’d I do?”

 

“It’s not bad for your first time.” Iori judges the consistency of the cake batter.

 

“I’ll do better next time!”

 

“We’re idols, not pâtissiers, Nanase-san.”

 

“I know, but I _like_ it when you praise me!”

 

Iori blushes. “Make yourself useful then, and pour the batter into that pan for me.”

 

“Like this?”

 

“Yes, but make sure to smooth it out with the spatula.” Iori instructs.

 

“Tadah!” Riku lifts the pan up with a proud smile to present his work to him.

 

“Cute.” Iori unconsciously says out loud.

 

“What?”

 

“I said good I’ll put it in the oven in a second.”

 

“What’re you making now?” Riku asks, glancing over at Iori.

 

“Icing.” Iori answers, pouring milk into a metal mixing bowl along withs some butter, sugar, and vanilla.

 

“What kind?” Riku watches as Iori turns on the mixer.

 

“Buttercream.”

 

“I like buttercream frosting. It’s yummy.”

 

“If it’s so ‘yummy,’ explain how it always ends up on your face, and not in your mouth.”

 

“It was _one_ time.”

 

“It was more than once.” Iori laughs.

 

“Can’t you forget it?”

 

“Nanase-san, can you add in two drops of pink food dye?” Iori asks as he places the cake in the oven.

 

Riku pouts. “Don’t avoid the question.”

 

“Alright, you have my word.” Iori sets a timer for 30 minutes.

 

“Pink?” Riku confirms with a triumphant grin.

 

“It’s on the counter.”

 

“Ah, found it, but why pink?” Riku squeezes the food dye into the bowl.

 

_One. Two._

 

“It’s spring. People like eating sweets under the cherry blossoms.”

 

“Oh, it’s that season again, isn’t it?”

 

“Yes.” Iori gently nudges his boyfriend aside to take the lead.

 

“Have you ever been cherry blossom viewing before, Iori?”

 

“My grandmother took nii-san and I once when we were younger.”

 

“Ahhh, I’d really like to go. Ten-nii brought me some once while I was in the hospital, but it’s not the same.”

 

“Manager-san and Rokuya-san seem like the type of people who would like that.”

 

“Oh… yeah, I suppose they would…”

 

Iori turns off the mixer. “What?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“You’re making a face.”

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. This is my normal face.”

 

“Nanase-san, we both know that’s not the truth. What’s wrong?”

 

“I was thinking… we should go together…”

 

“You mean like a _date_?”

 

“There’ll be a lot of people around, but we can easily blend in!”

 

“Sure, we can go later today.”

 

“ _Today?_ ”

 

“Mhm, after we finish this cake,”

 

“Huh? Iori, what about-”

 

“Ah, nii-san said he’ll stop by on his way back to the dorm.”

 

“Does that mean we’re free to-”

 

“Yes.”

  
There’s a pause before Riku asks, “How much longer until the timer goes off, Iori?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- i haven't baked a cake in /ages/ ;;;  
> \- the 1 prompt i actually used the flower rather than the meaning


End file.
